Advertising display



Nov. 17, 1942. E. BORREGARD ADVERTIS me DISPLAY -2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12, 1942 INVENTOR Er s1" 'Borre 90rd 42m HIS A ORNEY Nov. 17, 1942. E. BORREGARD 2,302,524

' .mvmnsme DISPLAY Filed Feb. 12, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 a so;

'I/IIIIIIIIA INVENTOR Er i BOffegGrc HI TOR Y Patented Nov. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADVERTISING DISPLAY Ernst Borregard, Long Island City, N. Y.

Application February 12, 1942, Serial No. 430,564

2 Claims.

My invention relates to flag waving devices, and is particularly adapted for simulating the movement of a flag waving in a breeze, where the flag is located in a situation where a natural breeze, or wind in motion cannot reach the same, as, for example, in a store or shop window, and wherein it is desired to have the flag appear as if it were waving in a breeze, in order to attract attention to the window and to any exhibit or goods advertising display that may be located in the space behind the window.

In carrying out my invention, I attach the hoist of a flag to a flag staff and support the flag in extended position by means of a resilient member having one end attached to the upper outer corner thereof. This resilient member is attached to and operated by an electric device which, by vibrating the resilient membenplaces the surface of the flag in motion and thus simulates a waving motion thereof.

The electrical device employed by me in the present invention is an intermittently operating device which, in the first instance, uses very little current, and because of the intermittently operating character of the device, the total amount of current consumed by the device in any stated period is practically negligible.

An object of my invention, therefore, is an improved fla-g waving device.

Another object of my invention is an improved means for imparting a vibratory motion to a flag or other lik banner.

A further object of my invention is an improved mechanism for operating a flag or banner waving device.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a staff carrying a flag or banner and to which my present invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a view of the upper portion of Fig. l, but from the opposite face to that shown'in Fig. 1, and illustrating the manner of attachment of my flag waving device to the banner and to the flag staff.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the operating mechanism shown in Fig. 2, parts being broken away to show the internal construction thereof;

and

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, l0 designates a base on which is mounted a flag staff ll. Secured to the upper end of the staff H, and preferably by resilient members I2, is a flag or banner l3 to which it is desired to impart a motion to convey to the appearance to an observer that the flag I3 is waving in a breeze.

Secured to the staff II by screw l4 and at a point intermediate the ends of the hoist of the flag or banner I3 is a body l5, substantially rectangularly cubical in form and housed on three sides by a cover [6. The lower end of the body [5 is provided with a slot I! in which is housed a solenoid I8. Secured to the under face of the body [5 by screws I9 is a resilient support 20 having on top thereof a resilient abutment 2| and on the bottom thereof a resilient abutment 22 at that portion of the flexible support 20 adjacent to the body I5. Secured to the outer end of the resilient member 20 is a block 23 of any suitable material, such as wood. Also secured to the block 23 is one end of a'member 24 which extends-downwardly and in a direction toward thebody l5, and at its lower end is provided with a plunger armature 25 which may move into and out of the solenoid iii. The block 23 is provided with a chamber 26 therein and in which is located a mercury switch 21.

The energizing current for the solenoid I8 is controlled by the mercury switch 2'1. Referring to Fig. 3, 28 designates a conductor leading from any suitable source of power and which conductor is secured to the upper face of the body [5. Secured to the upper end of conductor 28 is one end of a conductor 25 leading to a terminal of the mercury switch 21. The other terminal of the mercury switch 21 is connected to a conductor 38 which, in turn, is connected to one end of the solenoid [8. The other end of the solenoid I8 is connected to conductor 3| which leads to the source of power. When the device is in normal position, that is, in a position of rest and with no current flowing through the conductors 28 and iii, the body IE will be in the full line position shown in Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 and with the mercury within the mercury switch 21 closing the gap between contacts attached to the conductors 29 and 30. If, now the circuit from the source of power through the conductors 28 and 31 is closed, the solenoid I8 will be energized, sucking the plunger armature 25 into the solenoid l8, and lowering the block 23 from the full line position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to the dotand-dash position shown in Fig. 2. In this movement of the block 23, the mercury of the switch 2! will move away from the contacts of the switch, thereby breaking the circuit from the source of power through the conductors 28 and 3t and to the solenoid l8. Immediately the circuit is broken, the resiliency of the member 29 will move the block 23 upwardly until it reaches the upper limit of its movement designated by the dash lines in Fig. 2, and naturally the contacts of the mercury switch 21 will be again closed, thereby again energizing the solenoid I8 and repeating the operation just described.

At the outer upper corner of the flag or banner I3 is a grommet 32 through which passes a hook formed at the upper outer end of a resilient rod 33. This rod extends diagonally downward and rearwardly toward the hoist of the flag or banner I3 to a point substantially under the body I5, and then extends upwardly diagonally to a point adjacent the block 23 at which point is formed a transverse member which passes loosely through a horizontal hole 34 in the block 23, and which hole acts as a bearing for the transverse portion. To prevent unauthorized removal of the transverse member from the hole 34, the end of the rod 33 is bent downwardly as illustrated at 35. Also, adjacent the upper outer end of the rod 33 is positioned a weight 36.

When motion is imparted to the block 23 between its upper and lower limits, as indicated by the dot-and-dash line 31 and the dash line 38 respectively, there will be imparted to the rod 33 corresponding oscillatory movements as indicated by the dot-and-dash line 31 and the dash line 38, respectively, in Fig. 2, and therefore, there will be imparted to the extreme outer end of the rod 33 and to the upper outer corner of th flag or banner l3, a movement, the extent of which is indicated by the dot-and-dash line 39 and the dash line 40, respectively (see Fig. 1). By imparting such movement to the upper outer corner of the flag or banner l3, there will be imparted to such flag or banner a waving movement which upon casual inspection will appear to be caused by the waving of the flag in a breeze.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an improved device for simulating the waving of a flag or banner, the combination of a staff, a flag or banner having the hoist thereof attached to the staff, a resilient rod having its upper end attached to the upper outer corner of the flag or banner, means for attaching the lower end of said rod to a plunger armature, a solenoid, means associated with the solenoid for resiliently attaching the plunger armature in operative relation to the solenoid, an energizing circuit for said solenoid, and means for intermittently energizing the solenoid to impart a reciprocating motion to the plunger armature and whereby an oscillatory movement will be imparted to the upper end of the said rod and to thereby impart a waving motion to the upper end of the flag or banner, and which motion will be transmitted to the entire flag or banner and simulate the waving motion of a flag or banner in a breeze.

2. An improved flag waving device comprising a staff, a flag attached at its hoist to said staff, a solenoid mounted on said staff, a plunger armature for said solenoid, a resilient mounting for said plunger armature, a resilient rod having its lower end secured to the resilient mounting and the upper end secured to the flag, an energizing circuit for said solenoid and a circuit controlling device mounted on the plunger armature mounting for intermittently energizing the solenoid to cause a reciprocating motion of the plunger armature with respect to the solenoid and impart a vibratory motion to the upper end of the resilient rod.

ERNST BORREGARD. 

